The German manufacturer wants its electric cars to be clean and green all the way through their life, not just once they arrive with customers.

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Volkswagen is chasing carbon-neutral production for its upcoming I.D. Neo hatchback, in an attempt to save 1 million tons of CO2 every year.

Renewable energy will be used to power the Volkswagen plant in Zwickau, Germany, where the I.D. will be built. It'll also source the battery cells in the most sustainable way possible, although the company admits the entire process can't be carbon-neutral, from raw materials to manufacture.

When there are unavoidable emissions, Volkswagen says it'll offset them with investment in "certified climate projects".

“Climate change is the greatest challenge of our times,” said Thomas Ulbrich, board member responsible for e-mobility at Volkswagen.

"To ensure that it remains emission free during its life cycle, we are working on many different ways to use green power. Truly sustainable mobility is feasible if we all want it and we all work on it," he continued in a statement.

On the charging front, Volkswagen is a part of the Ionity high-speed charge network being developed across Europe, which will utilise renewable energy whenever possible.

The company also has a subsidiary in Elli, which will offer customers green energy with which to recharge their vehicles.